Want to know what the official time is? Setup this Arduino clock, plug it into your dsl/cable router, and always have the exact time. It uses the Internet NTP protocol to get the current date and time, and display it on a LCD. Sounds pretty simple, right?
http://tuxgraphics.org/electronics/200710/avr-ntp-clock.shtml

Your Arduino has things to tell you. One of the easiest ways to let it communicate is to attach a character LCD. These LCD modules are a lot of fun, however they can be tricky to get working right. Many a hacker has spent hours trying to get one working, only to suffer through frustration and humiliation. Hacktronics is here to help. Our LCD HackPack, along with this tutorial, has everything you need to get an LCD working quickly with your Arduino. An LCD module connected to your Arduino can be a great debugging tool for your program. The LCD modules covered here are based on the very popular HD44780 controller.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

If you need a way to detect the speed of a rotating device, a tachometer is the way to do it. If you can't add slots and a hall sensor, a simple contactless IR sensor and reflective tape may be just the ticket. See http://www.embedds.com/building-a-contactless-tachometer/ for more info.

Back around 1980 or so, I bought a book on how to make a robot pet. It would let you know when it was hungry (low batteries), follow you around, and avoid obstacles (ultrasonics). Well, microcontrollers have come a long way, and the ability to imitate life has improved greatly. Check out this example of a modern robotic "dog":

Monday, August 9, 2010

Hack N Mod scoured the internet for the best Arduino based microcontroller projects. The list and variety is extensive, and there's something there to appeal to everyone. If you don't build something on this list, it's bound to give you ideas for your own projects. Let us know what you build!

I received a FreeLoader Pico the other day, and I put it to work charging my cellphone while on the go. It does a fantastic job of that, but I wondered what else I could use it for. Ah, a power source for my Arduino Microcontroller. It does a great job of that as well. No more looking for power connections, I just set the small solar panel with integrated Li-ION battery in the sun and charge. A bargain at $30.

RobotShop Distribution Inc. announces the new DFRobotShop Rover is in stock and ready to ship. The DFRobotShop Rover was a joint project between DFRobot and RobotShop to create a low cost Arduino-based and shield compatible tracked platform.

The Arduino microcontroller has been around for many years and is exponentially increasing in popularity because of its straightforward design, features, price and ease of use. RobotShop had been selling the Arduino microcontroller for many years, but had not seen a commercial mobile robot that incorporated it into its design. In 2008, RobotShop released the “RobotShop Rover”, also a tracked platform kit, which included a standard Arduino Duemilanove microcontroller. The DFRobotShop Rover continues this trend by including all the features of a standard Arduino Duemilanove with the parts essential to creating a tracked robot into a minimalist design.

An all-in-one tutorial to getting started with the Arduino open-source electronics prototyping platform. This guide is meant for the beginner but should be also be useful to you if you already tinker with electronics but want to get started with the Arduino.

IC Station

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